
Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Familial exudative vitreoretinopathy
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Retinopathy is a general term that refers to some form of non-inflammatory damage to the retina of the eye. Most commonly, it is a problem with the blood supply that is the cause for this condition. Frequently, retinopathy is an ocular manifestation of systemic disease.
Causes
Causes
The main causes of retinopathy are:
- Diabetes – diabetic retinopathy
- Arterial hypertension – hypertensive retinopathy
- Prematurity of the newborn – retinopathy of prematurity (ROP)
- Sickle cell anemia
- Direct sunlight exposure – solar retinopathy
- Medicinal products – drug-related retinopathy- Hydroxychloroquine, Interferon alfa-2b , Tamoxifen, Trifluoperazine
- Retinal vein or artery occlusion
Prognosis
Prognosis
Many types of retinopathy are progressive and may result in blindness, severe vision loss, or impairment, particularly if the macula becomes affected.
Treatment
Treatment
Retinopathy is diagnosed by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist during ophthalmoscopy. Treatment depends on the cause of the disease.
Related Chapters
Related Chapters
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]
